Hi I have a 56 gallon tank that has a stock light on it. I need some lighting suggestions for my tank it is 30 inches wide and 24 inches deep. Anything else I need besides better lights before going reef? Thanks.

That would depend on what kind of corals you are wanting to keep in your tank. What are you thinking about keeping?

Exactly. Think long-term so you aren't re-buying your equipment in a year or so. On my first reef tank I bought a light fixture for it 3x before #4 was the RIGHT fixture. I was trying to save a dollar or two and in the long run I should have waiting and got what was right for the tank long term.

These are usually low to mid light demanding animals so almost any lights are good here.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tacos377

But I might want an anemone.

And THERE in is the problem... these animals (in general terms) are High Light demanding animals as well as are for "Advanced" reefers because they tolerate no parameter fluctuations and need the best of the best in terms of water quality. You'll want to be on your A game to even consider an Anemone. One common problem is that people see them at the LFS and get them too early. They seem to do fine (even under poor light) for weeks or longer so the aquarist thinks everything is going great. Then one day something is "off" in the tank.. the Anemone is withdrawn and shriveled.. or the mouth is "gaping"... and usually in a matter of a few days the animal expires for what appears to be no reason at all. In reality the animal was slowly perishing all along but because of their ultra slow metabolism and resilience for survival they can make it longer than many other animals even in bad conditions. Keep in mind that in the wild some Anemone can live upwards of a century . . .

The moral of the story is you need to set up your tank thinking Long-Term and if you "think" you'll want an Anemone in 9-12 months go ahead and set your tank up for it now even if you need to wait a little longer to get the funds in order. I'd rather have overkill on my lights and no limitations than save a buck and not be able to have just about anything I want in the tank.